The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.
The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2016 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (3/15/16) this first half cap count has been reached. Please read USCIS update below!
The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2016 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (3/24/16); 4,065 beneficiaries have been approved and 5,594 are pending for a total of 9,659.
UPDATE: The congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2016 has been reached. March 15, 2016 was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before April 1, 2016. The final receipt date is when USCIS received enough cap-subject petitions to reach the limit of 33,000 H-2B workers for the first half of FY 2016. This means that no cap numbers from the first half of FY 2016 will carry over to the second half of FY 2016, which begins on April 1, 2016.
Source of Information:
USCIS.gov, 3/24/16, Web Page:
Cap Count for H-2B Nonimmigrants
USCIS.gov, 3/21/16, News Alert:
USCIS Reaches the H-2B Cap for the First Half of Fiscal Year 2016
Related Link:
USCIS.gov, 2/5/16, Web Page:
H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers